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Below you will find a selection of the most recent entries from bloggers in our Work/Business section.

To view the entries from individual bloggers, click on the links below:

 

  • Claire Doole - Claire Doole Communications

    Claire is a former BBC correspondent and international spokeswoman who is passionate about helping people communicate with confidence. Since 2006, she has successfully trained hundreds of professionals in the art of presenting and public speaking, talking to the media, managing communications in a crisis, and writing for the web. In addition, she has coached C-level executives and public figures to give powerful TEDx and TED style talks in Europe and the Middle East. A Swiss and UK national, Claire trains and coaches in French and English.

  • Elizabeth Ballin - Life Coach

    As a long time member of the international community in Geneva, Elizabeth Ballin has been coaching adults and students from all parts of the world.  She has coached business professionals, musicians/artists, couples, families and adolescents.  She is a fully accredited Life Coach by the International Coaching Federation. Elizabeth Ballin, Life Coach

  • Patrick Hoza - US Tax & Financial Services

    Since 1990, Patrick has many years of experience with US individual expatriate taxation under his belt, including High Net Worth Individuals, streamline/voluntary disclosure filings and tax consulting, as well as working with large multinationals like Novartis, BP, Hewlett Packard and General Electric. He has extensive knowledge in serving both US expatriates and resident and non-resident aliens with their US tax-related issues. Patrick Hoza is a Tax Director at US Tax & Financial Services, with extensive experience in all aspects of Individual US tax and Expatriation, including Hight Net Worth Individuals and large multinationals.

    Patrick started his career in 1990 in California, with Westpro Ltd., as a Senior Tax Consultant, then spent the middle part of his career working at KPMG and Ernst & Young. During his time with Ernst & Young, he worked and lived in Russia, France and finally Switzerland. He has gained a valuable working knowledge of the respective income tax regulations in all of these countries.

    Patrick holds a B.A. in International Relations from the University of Colorado, is a member of the National Association of Enrolled Agents and is a Certified Acceptance Agent.

  • Melitta Campbell - Business Coach
    Business Coach and Mentor with nearly 3 decades of business experience and a passion for helping women confidently build a business they love. She is also the founder of the Swiss Entrepreneurs Club and president of the Swiss Riviera Toastmasters Club in MontreuxOriginally from Wales, she now lives in Montreux in a chalet she has renovated with her husband overlooking the Swiss Alps. 

  • Sunita Sehmi - Walk The Talk
    Founder of Walk The Talk, Sunita has been training, developing and now coaching Business Communication skills in both companies and educational establishments for over twenty years.  She has a passion for helping people to maximise their potential and created Walk The Talk with the sole aim to drive each and every client to perform their best.
  • Robert Harris- Forth Capital
    With over 25 years experience working for some of the major financial institutions in the City of London, Robert is a founding partner of Forth Capital, the leading expat financial advisory company in Switzerland. Regulary quoted in newspaper articles and magazines, he is well placed to advise expats on a variety of financial issues that may arise during their time living in Switzerland.
  • Debbie Croft - Croft Coaching

    As the founder of Croft Coaching, Debbie has a passion for helping people overcome challenges, embrace change and live life to the full; with an ethos of “work hard, play hard”.

  • Sarah Santacroce - Simplicity
    A certified social media, internet marketing, and virtual event specialist, Sarah enjoys every aspect of small business marketing. Through her own business, Simplicity, it is her mission to help other small businesses and solopreneurs increase their visibility and use social media tools as part of their marketing strategy.
  • Diana Ritchie - SSC Sàrl
    A Director at Swiss Career Connections, Diana will provide you with some useful tips for job hunting.

Networking-Image 448

Image courtesy of hywards at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

By Debbie Croft, Croft Coaching / Geneva Coach Alliance

“Maximising Christmas Events and Parties!”

In part 1, we explored ‘what is networking and why even bother with networking?’. Hopefully, you took away the fact that creating conversations can lead to doors opening, directly or indirectly; in a professional search. With the Christmas party season upon us and a peak of events, this is a great opportunity to put those ‘elevator speeches’ into action. The secret is to also enjoy it and feel comfortable! Below are some useful tips to help you present your ‘best, most confident self’:

Networking-Image 448

Image courtesy of hywards at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

By Debbie Croft, Croft Coaching / Geneva Coach Alliance
   
So, firstly, what is networking why even bother with networking? According to the Oxford English Dictionary, networking is:
“A group of people who exchange information and contacts for professional or social purposes: a support network”.

Why do it - networking is key to success during a job search process here in Switzerland! It is said that over 80% of the jobs secured tend to be a result of networking, as opposed to directly responding to a job opening. So, to maximise your job search, it is very important to build a strong and varied network.

Networking is also a very effective way of overcoming the challenges when transferring into new roles/career, or if you have had a career break; where you may have the skills and capability but not the ‘x number of years of specific experience’ in that field. On a CV/application, that can be harder to communicate. When one is ‘face to face’, connections are made and it is the personality, attitude and skills that become more important.

KremerMonica 448

Monica Kremer founded lifeonmars* design studio and paper goods brand in 2013 after finally succumbing to her life-long love affair with illustration and a growing yet healthy obsession with witty punch lines. The result is a line of "whimsy-cool" cards, calendars and art prints, infused with a unique touch of humor and visual play. All lifeonmars* products feature a mix of original hand-drawn as well as digitally designed illustrations and typography, together they create a style that is fresh and modern, with just the right amount of unconventional wit.

The lifeonmars* stationery line suits life's everyday feelings, and is made to sound like a conversation with friends, with a lot of banter and good will in mind.

I had the great pleasure of interviewing Monica and I hope you enjoy her interview as much as I did!

Sunita x

inheritance forth

By Stephen Langton, Forth Capital

From the 17th August 2015, an EU national living in France will have the right to choose the law of their nationality to determine the disposal of their estate on death.  In other words the estate need no longer be subject to French Succession Law and its inherent forced heirship.

These changes have prompted suggestions that one should immediately rush out and change ones will to ensure that the estate passes to beneficiaries in accordance with ones wishes rather than those of the state.

Rarely mentioned however, is that this new regulation (EU regulation 650/2012) concerns the rights of succession but not the right of taxation.  The right of taxation will still remain with the state in which the individual is domiciled.  The choice of applicable law is not a choice of applicable taxation.

Countries, like the UK which use Common Law principles define domicile as being where one is from whereas in France, domicile is determined broadly by where one lives.  It is therefore quite simple to be considered to be domiciled under both countries' rules.  Fortunately double tax treaties exist to allow a determination to be reached.  

severine newphoto

Séverine Jourdain is the Head of Coaching at Nestlé Group. However, she has had many lives prior to Nestlé and perhaps it is her diverse background that has made her what she is today; authentic, passionate, non-judgmental and driven with a capital D! Séverine perceives coaching at Nestlé as a Business performance accelerator as well as an opportunity for individuals to progress and flourish. Indeed, Nestlé has been gradually building the awareness around coaching since many years through their “Every Day Coaching” program and more recently through the implementation of a structured global coaching network. Séverine unquestionably embodies this drive by Nestlé and in doing so she is having the time of her life!

I talked to her at the picturesque town of Vevey home to Nestlé HQ. I sincerely hope you enjoy the interview as much as I did!

Sunita